dad. Notwithstanding that Elizabeth ardently desired the death of Mary, she still wished to preserve the appearance of being forced into sanctioning her execution. Her hesitation was assumed; and although the result could not be doubted, she ordered another investigation, which confirmed the sentence that had already been passed. If Elizabeth had wished to save the life of her relative, the exertions of the royal prerogative in her favour, could not have been attended with any danger to the state, as Mary was a prisoner without political support, and deprived of all means of acting against her government. But her ferocious and cruel disposition, like that of Henry the Eighth, could only be gratified by the axe of the executioner. Tired, as she said, by the repeated remonstrance and impatience of her people, she gave a reluctant consent to the execution of Mary.

In the opinion of some of her courtiers, her impatience outstripped her prudence, and her cunning her penetration; as notwithstanding the arts used to induce the people of England to believe that Elizabeth was averse to the destruction of her victim, they suspected her motives, and doubted her humanity. The Earl of Leicester, a man not more troubled with compunction of conscience than his royal mistress, in whose confidence he was, but whose conduct was regulated by greater coolness, conjured the Queen not to outrage public feeling by an act of infamy. Elizabeth heard him, and asked-" How then shall I act?" Leicester replied, Send her the court apothecary, not the executioner. If she is to die, let things be managed with decency.'

When Mary was informed that she was to suffer, she received the communication with the greatest composure, only observing, "I never could have thought that the Queen of England could sanction the execution of a person

not subject to the laws of the country; but as it is her will, I bend to it." She then sat down to supper, and retired at the usual hour. The following morning, after the performance of her devotions, she dressed herself for the last time, and accompanied by the sheriff, Thomas Andrews, she ascended the scaffold with a cheerful countenance, where the block, covered with black cloth, awaited her. After some time spent in prayer, and having recited the Psalm in Te Domini Speravi, she, without betraying the slightest symptoms of fear, placed her head on the block, which was immediately separated from her body. Her patience under misfortune, her resignation to the will of Providence, as well as the courage with which she met her fate, could only have arisen from an inward consciousness of innocence. Her death was not that of a sinner. Exposed to the fanatical persecution of half-insane bigots, who considered themselves warranted by scripture in pursuing their victim to the scaffold-betrayed where she expected protection-imprisoned and condemned to death-she never was heard to express a wish for vengeance on her persecutors. Her death was that of a pious queen and virtuous woman.

The character of both monarchs is derived from historical records, the authenticity of which are beyond dispute. It is for posterity to judge which of them merit the admiration of the good and virtuous-" the Virgin Queen," or the unhappy mother.

CHAPTER VI.

Tranquillity interrupted in the reign of Charles I.-Rebellion of Sir Phelim O'Neil-Barbarous cruelties-Cromwell-His cruelties-Puts the garrison of Wexford to the sword-Banishes the survivors to Connaught -Further cruelties committed by his army-Battle of the Boyne-Desperation of the Irish-Siege of Limerick, 1690.

In endeavouring to arrive at the causes of the continued state of depression and misery of the greater part of the Irish people, the limits of this work will not permit of a detail of the various acts of the different governments. The observations are, therefore, necessarily confined, with a few brief exceptions, to those reigns which are considered as the most eventful periods in Irish history, at a time when force constituted right, and when the law was the sword, and the argument the gibbet.

The death of Elizabeth, and the succession of James the First, produced a salutary change in Irish affairs. If the reign of the former had been marked by bloodshed and terror, that of the latter was distinguished by mercy and forgiveness. One of his first acts was to order the Lord Deputy, Mountjoy, to issue a proclamation, declaring a pardon for all offences committed at any time previous to the accession of his majesty. In this reign, Davis states, that the revenue of the crown had increased to a double proportion "by the encouragement given to the maratime towns and cities, as well to increase trade of merchandise, as to cherish mechanical arts," and in his description makes use of the following words" The strings of the Irish harps were all in tune." In the succeeding reign, Ireland appears to have advanced in prosperity. In 1634 six subsidies were granted,

amounting to £250,000, and the free gifts previously given to King Charles amounted to £210,000. The commodities

exported were twice as much in value as the merchandise imported, and shipping is said to have greatly increased.*

terrupted

of Charles

After a peace of forty years, the tranquillity that pro- Tranquilliduced confidence in the government, and a gradual improve- ty again inment in cultivation and commerce, was fatally interrupted in the reign in the reign of Charles the First. The arms of England, I. under Elizabeth, had reduced the Irish to subjection; but had failed to eradicate from their breasts the desire for revenge, and a determination, the first favourable opportunity that offered, to attempt to regain their lands, that had been bestowed on the English soldiery. A hatred of the English was their only inheritance, and had been carefully fostered by the heads of families, and they were not backward in avowing it. This detestation of their government extended itself to the descendents of those English who had first invaded the country, and religious principles and prejudices had a powerful effect in confirming it.

The professed policy of James was to abolish all religious animosities, and to destroy its bitter fruits. The real concealed policy of the cabinet was to encourage disunion by invidious and odious distinctions, and to separate them into two parties, that combined in themselves all the elements of eternal warfare—a difference of religion. The Protestants were flattered by being told, they were the only loyal subjects of the crown, and that the Catholics were a disaffected and dangerous people. The latter, descended from the old Irish families, were proud and high-minded, and could ill brook both insult and fraud. Deceived in their expectation of receiving justice from Charles; disappointed in their hopes of the abrogation of the penal statutes of Elizabeth ; well aware of the impossibility of regaining their estates

* Lord Strafford's Letters.

without force of arms; inspired by a wish for vengeance, and the restoration of their former grandeur; they found little difficulty in exciting the same desires in the great mass of the ancient Irish. Suffering from oppression, and steeped in poverty-dependents where they were formerly masters-despising every other profession but that of arms -they were easily persuaded to make another desperate attempt to establish themselves once more as masters of the island. Hopes were held out of foreign assistance, and emissaries were sent from some of the foreign courts to forward the intended rising. Strafford, the Lord Lieutenant, had information of their proceedings; but did not consider them important enough to warrant his taking any extreme measures to meet the danger.

Roger Moore, the head of a once powerful family, and Sir Phelim O'Neil, were chosen leaders by the conspirators; and it was determined to surprise the Castle of Dublin—the former was to lead this enterprise, whilst the latter was charged with the duty of heading the northern insurrection. Their intentions, however, were prematurely discovered, by the attempt of one of the conspirators, Mac Mahon, to induce a servant of Sir John Clotworthy to join the conspiracy, in time to prevent success; and several of the conspirators were arrested, but the principals managed to escape. Sir P. O'Neil, in the mean time, succeeded in raising the north, and surprised the Castle of Charlemont; and the rebellion assumed a formidable appearance.

The English settlers, who considered themselves as secure from all danger, and who had become, by their industry, rich and powerful, found themselves all at once exposed to the miseries of civil contention and certain spoliation. The success attending their active leader soon swelled the ranks of O'Neil to thirty thousand men; yet they acted with forbearance-no blood being shed except in open warfare; but the Irish in their turn did not hesitate to plunder their English neighbours. The Scottish planters, who had been